71-Year-Old Singapore Man Loses S$21,688 in Facebook Lottery Scam
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
A Facebook advertisement promising access to winning lottery numbers cost a 71-year-old Singapore man his entire S$21,688 in savings. The pensioner, identified as Yang, was allegedly drawn into a series of payments after scammers claimed they could help him win S$300,000. With his cleaning job also having ended, he is now struggling to afford even basic meals.
The case was reported by Shin Min Daily News and subsequently covered by Mothership.
Fake Lottery Tip Leads to Costly Trap
Yang first spotted the advertisement on Facebook in late August. Although his initial attempt to contact the number provided went unanswered, he received a call back in early September from a person claiming to have links inside Singapore Pools.
The caller allegedly offered to supply lottery numbers ahead of draws for a fee. According to the reported price list, first-prize numbers cost S$1,988, second-prize numbers S$1,688 and third-prize numbers S$1,388.
Unable to pay those prices, Yang was offered a supposedly more affordable deal. He paid S$500 for account registration and was asked for another S$500 in exchange for five sets of 4D lottery numbers.
Promise of S$300,000 Followed by More Demands
The numbers arrived on September 5, along with assurances that Yang could potentially win S$300,000. When the numbers failed to match the actual results, he sought an explanation.
The callers allegedly told him that the numbers had sold out because so many people wanted them. They then claimed they could get an insider to modify the tickets.
On the following day, Yang received a message announcing that he had supposedly won the first prize. A photograph of a S$300,000 cheque was sent as apparent proof of the win.
But the promised payout never materialised. Instead, the scammers continued asking for money.
Additional Fees Drain Victim's Savings
Yang was told to pay S$1,488 before he could receive the supposed winnings. On September 9, the demand escalated to S$5,850, described as handling fees. The scammers reportedly justified the charge by saying a transfer of such a large amount might trigger money-laundering suspicions.
On September 11, they sought a further S$7,840.
The repeated requests eventually raised suspicions, and Yang began to recognise the deception after reading newspaper coverage of similar lottery scams. By then, he had lost S$21,688, according to his account to Shin Min Daily News
Loses Retirement Savings
Yang told Shin Min Daily News that he had lost S$21,688 in the scam. His cleaning contract had also expired, leaving him unemployed.
He said he could now afford only instant noodles and bread.
Police investigations into the case are ongoing.
